Press Releases

May 15, 2018

WASHINGTON – Media outlets in Nevada and national media highlighted U.S. Senator Dean Heller’s (R-NV) trip to Israel to attend the opening ceremony celebration of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. Heller, along with Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Mike Lee (R-UT), met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as senior government officials before returning to the United States yesterday.

“The only reason that we are here is because President Trump kept his promise. President Trump said he said he was going to do that, we've had numerous presidents who said that this day would come, and it only came because President Trump kept his promise. The four of us here are celebrating with the Israeli people for the last couple of days enjoying it, and participating in this celebration. This is a game changer. A game changer for this nation, and our nation.” – U.S. Senator Dean Heller

Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act in 1995, but the embassy had remained in Tel Aviv. Senator Dean Heller, along with Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio reintroduced the legislation in early 2017 and President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December. The new embassy opened on Monday. On Friday, Heller told us, "I'm looking forward to it. Obviously, what we're doing is moving the Embassy. What we're basically doing is righting a wrong this weekend and I'm thrilled to be back in Jerusalem to be a part of this move and to be part of this particular ceremony."

Heller says he has been working on this legislation for five to seven years. He will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jewish and Christian coalitions leading up to the event. The ceremony coincides with the 70th anniversary of Israel's declaration of independence.

In a historic move, the U.S. is breaking a long-standing tradition by opening its Israel- based embassy in Jerusalem. Nevada Senator Dean Heller is there. He posted these photos on twitter saying quote, "Today we are finally righting a wrong."

“Today is a day of celebration for the United States and Israel, two nations that are now joined closer together. The United States is finally righting a wrong and fulfilling its decades-old promise by relocating the American embassy to Jerusalem. As the author of legislation that would do just that, I’m humbled to witness this ceremony,” said Heller. “While in Jerusalem, our group had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman, and Ivanka Trump to discuss our strong partnership with Israel. Our friend and ally deserves our unwavering support, and today we reaffirmed our commitment to Israel and strengthened our alliance.”

In 1995, Congress passed legislation that recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. However, although the bill became law later that year, the U.S. Embassy was never moved to Jerusalem. In December of 2017, President Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announced that the Administration would develop a plan to relocate the embassy.

Heller has long supported relocating the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He has repeatedly introduced the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act, legislation that would fulfill the commitment to move the embassy by requiring the U.S. Department of State to do so or face a penalty.

Heller, meanwhile, told Faulkner that the only reason the embassy has been moved is because Trump kept his promise.

"We've had numerous presidents who said this day would come," said Heller, R-Nevada. "The four of us are celebrating with the Israeli people for the last couple days, enjoying it and participating in this celebration. [It is] a game changer for this nation and our nation."

The four Republican senators who attended the U.S. Embassy opening ceremony in Israel Monday said President Trump is the reason the move happened. “This was a big day. This was an important day,” said Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said on Fox News. Sens. Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Dean Heller were the other lawmakers who attended the event.

Senators Mike Lee, Linsey Graham, Dean Heller and Ted Cruz credited President Trump for making history on the inaugural day of the newly minted U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem Monday. ee noted that Monday was “an important day, recognizing something that was already the case,” and pressed that by moving the embassy to Jerusalem, the U.S. acknowledged “Jerusalem was and is Israel’s capital. ”

Graham recounted when he voted for the U.S. Embassy move to Jerusalem in 1995 as a freshman congressman and thanked Trump for acting on the move. “If you have a problem with Jerusalem being the capital of Israel, take it up with God,” Graham said.

Also acknowledging the president’s role in moving the embassy, Heller said that among all other presidents whose rhetoric had not come to fruition, “the only reason we’re here is President Trump kept his promise” and that the four Senators were “celebrating with the Israeli people.”

Earlier in the day, at the landmark King David Hotel, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas and Dean Heller of Nevada held a press conference at which they praised Trump’s courage and boldness in transferring the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“It brings us where we are today,” Heller said. Graham maintained that the move makes a peace pact between Israelis and Palestinians more likely.

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